The Pilot Plant (Biotechnology Unit) combines several different types of activities. It is responsible for the large-scale production of bacteria, mammalian cells and biologically active compounds from various sources. Parallel to this activity, it conducts process development work associated with these preparations in order to be able to execute them efficiently. In addition, the unit carries on research work not necessarily associated with a current project, but work that has long-term implications for the unit's performance. During the last year, the unit carried out 123 different large-scale preparations, including microorganism growth in volumes from 10 to 300 liters, mammalian cell growth up to 50 liter volumes and processing of various biological materials. Development work was done in the growth optimization of various recombinant E. coli. An example is growth and recovery process for obtaining gr quantities of purified non-toxic exotoxin A lacking glutamic acid at position 553.